LABOR ANNNOUCES WA COUNTRY TEAM - WEDNESDAY, 20 MARCH 2019

Labor Leader Bill Shorten and Joel Fitzgibbon, Labor’s Country Caucus Spokesperson, have today announced the Labor country candidates in Durack, Forrest and O’Connor.

Labor’s fighting for country WA to get a better deal – and we’ve got the team in place to deliver more investment for schools, better health for the regions and a plan for jobs.

Labor has endorsed Sharyn Morrow for the seat of Durack, Wayne Sanford for Forrest, and Shelley Payne for O’Connor.

Sharyn Morrow has a proven record of delivering regional education services as the coordinator of CQ University’s Karratha Distance Education Study Hub.

Ms Morrow understands the challenges facing those living in regional Western Australia, and is committed to fighting for better schools and further learning opportunities in the region.

Labor’s candidate for Forrest, Wayne Sanford, was born in Collie and has lived in the South West for most of his life.

Mr Sanford has a unique understand of the needs of the Great Southern and South West after serving sixteen years as a Collie Shire Councillor, including six years as Collie Shire President, and holding positions on the South West Development Commission and the Bunbury Wellington Economic Alliance over a number of years.

Having worked in the mining industry for 37 years, Mr Sanford is passionate about delivering jobs and economic opportunities to the people of the Great Southern and South West.

Shelley Payne is an engineer and local Councillor in the Shire of Esperance.

Ms Payne has lived in Esperance for almost 20 years with her husband, a local abalone diver, and children.

Ms Payne was elected to the Shire of Esperance to be a voice for families, and that’s what she wants to continue in Federal politics.

Ms Payne knows that regional Western Australia has been taken for granted by this Liberal government, and local families have suffered.

The fact is that the Liberals have turned their back on country WA.

As Treasurer, Scott Morrison cut from health and hospitals in every Budget he delivered - and their representatives in country WA have done nothing about it.

Labor is already delivering for regional Western Australia.

As a start - Labor has announced $12.8 million in funding to rebuild Laverton Hospital, $12.2 million to upgrade Collie Hospital, and $700,000 for dialysis facilities in Halls Creek.

Labor has also announced Bunbury as the first site for establishing a National Telestroke Network – using state of the art technology to link stroke victims in regional Australia to stroke experts in city hospitals – meaning better diagnosis, care and health outcomes.

Labor will also reverse Scott Morrison’s $14 billion cuts to public schools – cuts which have a particular impact on students in country Australia.

Federal Labor will partner with the McGowan Government to deliver a fair go– and Sharyn Morrow, Wayne Sanford and Shelley Payne will fight for a better deal for country Western Australia.